The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-22
A DISGRACEFUL STORY
TOLD BIZ PRINCE wITTG ENsTEIN
ON WAsHBURNE,
Minister OF the United states at
Paris During the Franco
Prussian War.

NEW YORK January pa Paris
special to the Times says: The produce
ton in Scribner'S Magazine of Ex-Mln-
lister WashburDe's Reminiscent of
the Siege and Commune OF Paris" hss
created crest deal OF Indignation in
France, and the comment OF lie Figaro,
"Mf. Washburne shows very LIT le
sympathy for u.s." may be fairly &C.
Cepted as expressing the general erti-
ment here. In retaliation for what
the French consider unlalled for in
sinua ions in the "reminiscences, Mr..
Washburne's record rs Minister Of
the UOitt d States in Paris during the
siege OF the city has been overhaultd d,
and soms OF the stories told in con-
nection with his action during those
troublesome times, II true, do not re-
dound exactly to his credit as the
diplomatist of friendly power. The
m lst compromising Of them has be n
told by Prince de Wiltgenstein, who
vas military altache to the Russian
Legation in Paris during the siege and
who occupied the 80 me relation TO the
French and German armies, IS a bond
OF communication, that Mr. Wash
burne did to the diplomates shut up
in Pars and the German Chancellor.
The P ince's story is well worth re-
peaiing, il only to give Mr.. Wash-
burne chance 10 contradict it,
or to evade il in the next batch OF
"reminiscences" Before and during
the siege of Paris the Prince de Witt
genstein, who is the husband of the
Princess de Mingrelie, bad his ofii3ia
residence at No. 100 Champs E.ysee.
One day, he says, two ladies appeared
and delivered to mis- valet two letters,
accompanied by two louis. The letters
were addressed to relatives OF the la
dies ia the provinces, and the Russian
General was somewhat ss,onished
when his valet p esented them to him
with the god. Hs began to snih mys-
terry, bat 1t was insplvable to him
until the following day, when the la
dies appeared again aud asked for the
return o. the letters and the money.
They told the Prince they had made q
mistake. They bad been informed
that he made OF himself q kind OF Ger
man postoffice; that he exchanged
letters daily with Versailles, and that
on payment OF POI (abous 81 he used
his facilities to for ward letters through
the German lines to the Provinces.
"But," said the Spokesman Of the two,
I'VE have made mistake. 1t 10 in the
Roe de ChailIot, at the United States
Legation, that the letters are taken. =
The Prince says that he returned
the letters and the money, and de-
cided TO see II the story Of the women
was true. The next day and for sew
eral days thereafter, in order to salts
fy himself, he sent letters and twenty
franc pieces to the legation presided
over by Mr.. Washburne, who pocketeC
the louis and sent forward the letters
Mr.. Washburne, il is asserted, took NJ
pains to find out what the letters con
tanned, and, for all he knew, informa
ton TO the German comm lnders be
sieging Paris Of the condition OF tn,
defense might have been feut on
daily through his profitable postotii @
How much money he made by thi
thrifty but scarcely diplomatic stroll
Of bu iness nobody but himself knows
bat for the truth of the story th
: Prince do Wit'gsustein stands read
to vouch.